Wheeled golf bag



"Nov, '29, 1960 M. J. ELlAs 2,962,294

WHEELED GOLF BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi1ed Deo. 1, 1959 Nov. 29, 1960 Filed Dec. 1, 1959 M. J. ELIAS WHEELED GOLF BAG 1| .'fll 49/ "y f4 |l.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Maag/cf f2/4S ATTO RN EY WHEELED GOLF BAG Maurice I. Elias, 49 President St., Hempstead, NX.

Filed Dec. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 856,467

S (Ilaims. (Cl. 280-38) The present invention relates generally to improvements in wheeled receptacles, and in particular it relates to an improved golf bag provided with retractable wheels permitting the easy transportation of the loaded golf bag.

lt has become a common practice in recent years to employ a cart instead of a caddy to carry a golf bag Patent O along the golf course. rIhese carts generally consist of a relatively large framework provided with a handle and a pair of wheels and having means for supporting and carrying a golf bag thereon. The cart, while facilitating the transportation of the golf bag along the golf course, represents a bulky piece of equipment, diicult to carry and store when not in use, and is at best an expensive and inconvenient device. It has been previously proposed to attach Wheels directly to the golf bag but these would result in a complex, expensive and unattractive arrangement. In U.S. Patent No. 2,902,287, granted September l, 19.59, to Maurice J. Elias, there is described a wheeled golf bag of the present type which, although satisfactory, possesses certain disadvantages and leaves something to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved wheeled receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved golf bag.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved golf bag having Wheels to facilitate the transportation of the golf bag.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved golf bag having retractable wheels, a retractable support leg and a retractable handle tofacilitate the transportation of the golf bag, and which permits the supporting of the golf bag in an erect position.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the improved golf bag illustrated in operative position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, of the wheel bearing portion of the golf bag, the wheels and support leg being illustrated in extended position, the support leg being shown by broken line, in a partially retracted position;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, the wheel and support leg being shown in retracted positions;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the golf bag illustraed partially broken away;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in Figure 5;

rarice Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 in Figure 6; and

Figure l0 is a view similar to Figure 9 with the wheel brackets in retracted positions.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved wheeled golf bag comprising a frame member; a receptacle carried by said frame member and having an access opening formed in the top thereof and defining a golf bag; a pair of laterally slidable brace members disposed on opposite sides of the lower section of said frame member, each of said brace members including a pair of parallel inwardly directed vertically spaced legs and a bridge section connecting the outer ends of said legs; a pair of brackets disposed adjacent said brace member, each of said brackets including an upper inwardly directed leg slidably and rotatably supported by a corresponding brace member bridge section, and an arm depending from the outer end of said bracket upper arm and terminating at its lower end in an inwardly directed axle; and a wheel mounted on each of said axles, said axles being movable with said brackets between an advanced lower rearward position in releasable engagement with said brace member and a retracted raised forward position.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, the bag frame includes a cup shaped base portion and upstanding tubular legs secured thereto. lThe brace members are tubular and the legs of opposite brace members slidably telescope each other, the upper brace legs engaging the frame legs and the lower brace legs engaging the frame bottom wall. Moreover, the brace members are disposed along the rear of the bag and are releasably locked in a retracted or extended position. The axles are swingable about their upper bracket legs between an extended position where they slidably engage the brace lower legs and are releasably locked therein, and a retracted position where they slidably register with openings in the frame base and are likewise releasably locked therein. A support leg is provided which is movable between a depending forward position relative to the frame base and a retracted position nesting in the frame base.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved wheeled gof bag which comprises a receptacle section 11 and a truck section 12. The receptacle section 11 includes a reinforcing support frame having a cap shaped bottom portion consisting of a relatively heavy base 13 formed of wood, plastic or the like, and a substantially rigid upstfnding peripheral wall 14 which may be formed of metal. Projecting upwardly from and secured to the rear section of the wall 14 are a pair of vertical, parallel tubular posts 16 which may be associated with other frame elements, not shown, in the usual manner. A tubular sheath 17 which defines the wall of the receptacle 11 is secured to the receptacle frame in conventional fashion and may be formed of canvas or other suitable material, the bottom section of the sheath 17 nesting in the frame bottom cup section and secured to the wall 14.

The truck 12 comprises extendable bracing members 1S and 19, and extendable and retractable wheel carrying brackets 20. Slidably supporting braces 1S and 19 are a pair of upper and lower laterally extending tubular guide members 21. Each of guide members 21 in cludes a main section 22 of enlarged circular cross section and an end section 23 of reduced cross section, upper guide member 21 being suitably fastened, as by welding, to the rear faces of posts 16, and lower guide member 21 nesting in a recess formed in the bottom of frame base 13.

Brace member 18 is substantially U-shaped, including upper and lower tubular legs 24 and 26 respectively, and an integrally formed vertical bridge member 27 connecting the outer ends of legs 24 and 26. Legs 24 and 26 slidably telescope the enlarged sections 22 of guide member 21, the upper leg 24 having formed in its top face longitudinally spaced inner and outer recesses 28 and 29 respectively. Brace member 19 is likewise U-shaped, including upper and lower horizontal parallel legs 32 and 33 connected by a tubular vertical bridge member 34, legs 32 and 33 slidably telescoping the guide sections 23 and brace legs 24 and 26 when the brace members 18 and 19 are in retracted positions. lnner and outer recesses 36 and 37 are formed in the top face of brace leg 32.

In order selectively to releasably lock brace members 18 and 19 in their retracted or extended position, there is located on the outer face of the sheath 17, immediately above brace legs 24 and 32, latching mechanisms 38. Each mechanism 3S includes a bracket 39 suitably secured to a post 16, and carrying a rearwardly directed pivoted arm 40 terminating in a linger-manipulatable latching element 41 having a depending leg which separably engages selectively one or another of recesses 28, 29 and 36, 37. A hairpin spring urges arm 40 to its latch position. Thus, when brace members 18 and 19 are in their retracted positions, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, brace legs 32 and 33 partially telescope legs 24 and 26 and latch elements 41 engage outermost recesses 29 and 37. Brace members 18, 19 may be extended to the positions illustrated in Figure of the drawing, by lifting the latch elements 41 out of engagement with recesses 29 and 37, and pulling brace members 18 and 19 outwardly, until latch elements 41 are spring urged into locking engagement with the inner recesses 28, 36.

Wheel brackets 20 are formed of bent rods, and each includes an upper horizontal leg 42 and an arm 43 depending from the outer end thereof and terminating in an inwardly directed axle 44 of lesser length than, and parallel to, upper leg 42. Legs 42 slidably and rotatably register with transverse openings formed in brace bridges 27, 34, and with aligned brackets 46 mounted on the rear faces of frame posts 16. Furthermore, axles 44 selectively releasably engage tubular brace legs 26 and 33, passing through aligned openings 44 formed in the elbowed end thereof, or through openings 47 formed in wall 14 forward of and above brace legs 26 and 33. A pair of wheels 4S are mounted on axles 44, and their bottom surfaces are vertically below braces 18 and 19 and in a rear position, when in an extended position as illustra-ted in Figures l, 2, 5 and 6 of the drawings. The wheel bottom surfaces are about at the level of base 13 and the wheels are along the sides of the golf bag when they are in their retracted position, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The inner sections 49 of the wheel bracket legs 42 are of semicircular cross section and in complementary registry when the wheel brackets 20 `are in their retracted position, as seen in Figure l0 of the drawing. Formed in each of the bracket legs 42 are inner transverse bores 50 and outer transverse bores 51 forming an angle to each other, bores S0 being horizontal when the wheel brackets are extended, and bores 51 being horizontal when the wheel brackets are retracted.

In order to releasably selectively lock wheel brackets 20 in their extended or retracted positions, there is mounted on each of the brace bridge members 27 and 34, as best seen in Figure 7 of the drawings, a horizontal tubular barrel 52 which is at the level of bracket legs 42 and projects forwardly and communicates with the interior of the bridge members 27 and 34 through openings formed therein. The free end of barrel 52 is closedv by an apertured end plate 53, and a longitudinally slidable -axial` latch pin 54 is disposed in each barrel 52 and projects into legs 27 and 34 and is retractabletherefrom. Registering with pin 54 and entrapped between end plate 53 and a collar 56 carried by pin 54 is a spiral compression spring 57 which normally resiliently urges latch pin 54 to a forward position. A knob 58 is mounted on the outer end of pin 54. When wheel brackets 20 are in Itheir extended positions, latch pins 54 engage bores 5t?. in order to retract brackets 20, pins 54 are pulled out of engagement with bores 50 and With the brackets 20 are rotated to retracted positions, wherein bores 51 are in aligned registry with pins 54, which are spring urged into locking engagement therewith.

A retractable leg 59 is mounted on the underface of base 13 and cooperates with extended wheels 48 to support bag 10 in an upright position. Leg 59 includes a vertical rod 60 slidably and rotatably registering with a vertical bore medially formed in the forward part of base 13, and rod 6l projecting horizontally from the bottom of rod 60 and terminating in an upwardly directed lug 63 carrying on its underface and adjacent its end a foot piece 64. Rod 61 and foot piece 64 are nestable in a correspondingly shaped recess 65 formed in the underface of base 13, the recess 65 being provided with a lateral groove 66 to permit easy manipulation of the rod 61. A pair of vertically spaced upper and lower apertures 67 and 68 are formed in rod 6i) and cooperate with a slidable latch pin 69 releasably to lock leg 59 in a retracted or extended position. Latch pin 69 is housed in a horizontal well 70 formed in the forward face of the base 13 and is spring urged into latch position. Mounted at the free end of latch rod 69 is a knob 71. When leg 59 is in retracted position, leg 61, lug 63 and foot piece 64 nest in base recess 65 and latch pin 69 engages apertures 68. By pulling latch pin 69 outwardly, leg 60 is released and may be pulled downwardly and rotated to its forwardly directed position and releasably locked therein by pin 69 engaging the upper aperture 67, as seen in Figure 2 of the drawings. A suitable collapsible handle 72 is provided, which may be of the construction described in the above identified Elias Patent No. 2,902,287, for use in wheeling the bag as desired.

The operation of the improved golf bag of the present invention is obvious from the above description. The golf bag may be adapted to wheeling by manipulating brace members 18 and 19 to their extended locked position and extending wheel brackets 20, swinging them to their rear position, and inserting axles 44 into engagement with brace legs 26 and 33 and releasably locking them in this position in the manner previously set forth. Leg 59 may then be extended and rotated to a forwardly directed locked position. If the golf bag is to be carried, leg 59, Wheel carrying brackets 20 and brace members 18 and 19 may be retracted and locked in an opposite manner.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. An improved wheeled golf bag comprising a frame member, a receptacle carried by said frame member and having an access opening formed in the top thereof and defining a golf bag, a pair of brace members laterally slidably mounted on opposite sides of said frame member at the lower section thereof, each of said brace members including a pair o-f parallel inwardly directed vertically spaced legs and a bridge section connecting the outer ends of said legs, a pair of brackets. disposed adjacent said brace members, each of said brackets including an upper inwardly directed leg slidably and rotatably supported by a corresponding brace member bridge section, and an arm depending from the outer end of said bracket upper arm and terminating at its lov/er end in an inwardly directed axle, a wheel mounted onl each of said axles, said axles being rotatable with said brackets above said upper legs thereof between an advanced lower rearward position in releasable engagement with said brace member and a retracted raised forward position and means retaining said axles in said retracted position.

2. An improved wheeled golf bag in accordance with claim 1, including latch means mounted on said brace members releasably selectively locking said bracket members in laterally spaced inner and outer positions relative to said brace members.

3. An imp-roved wheeled golf bag in accordance with claim 1, includ-ing latch means secured to said frame member and releasably engaging said brace members to selectively lock said brace members in an inner retracted and an outer extended position wherein said brace members are disposed closely spaced to and remotely spaced from said frame member respectively.

4. An improved wheeled golf bag in accordance with claim 1, including means mounted on said frame releasably engaging said axles when in their retracted raised forward positions.

5. An improved wheeled golf bag in accordance with claim 1, including vertically spaced parallel tubular guide members mounted on said frame member and slidably engaging said brace members inwardly directed legs.

6. An improved wheeled golf bag in accordance with claim 1, wherein the opposite inwardly directed legs of said brace members are telescopically connected.

7. An improved golf bag in accordance with claim 1, including a support leg carried by said frame memberand movable between a depressed position forward of said frame member and a raised position.

8. An improved golf bag in accordance with claim 7, including latch means releasably locking said support leg in a raised and a depressed position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,662,776 Hurst Dec. 15, 1953 2,902,287 Elias Sept. 1, 1959 2,921,797 Berglund Jan. 19, 1960 

